Ladders are ubiquitous tools used in a wide variety of industrial and domestic environments. Ladders are important tools, for example, in the construction trades. One type of ladder does not stand alone but must be leaned against a wall or other structure in order to support a user. Ladders of this type include extension ladders. Alternately, some step ladders may be used in a stand alone mode, or may be folded and leaned against a wall during use.
To perform work on upper out-of-reach surfaces of structures, such as a roof, it is typical to position a ladder against or near the structure to gain access to work surfaces. Roofs of residential homes and other buildings are often inaccessible by stepladders or other means, requiring a ladder, such as an extension ladder, to be leaned against the side of the structure for a degree of support that allows the user to climb the ladder and gain access to upper portions of the structure.
Ladders that are leaned against a structure tend to shift from side to side (translate laterally). The ladder may translate laterally to such an extent that it falls to one side or the other or causes a person standing on the ladder to fall or work in an unsafe position. The base of the ladder may also slide away from the structure, ladder slippage, causing the ladder to fall. In some instances, such as when the base of the ladder is positioned too close to the structure and the ladder is in a too upright vertical position, a force may push the ladder away from the structure or a person or object on the ladder causes the center of gravity to pull the ladder away from the structure. When this occurs, the upper end of the ladder may move away from the structure, causing the ladder to fall away from the structure.
Of necessity, ladders are used on a variety of surfaces and in many instances the ground or surface on which they are used is uneven, sloped, stepped or in some way soft or unstable. Such conditions make the ladder prone to movement when a person stands on any of the higher rungs of the ladder, especially if the ground is soft or otherwise less stable than expected. In any event, even when used on stable level ground there is still an inherent risk of unwanted ladder movement, especially when used over longer reaches.
A simple, easy to use ladder security device is needed that can be firmly secured to a variety of structures and prevent excessive lateral motion of the ladder, ladder slippage, or ladder movement away from the structure. Such a device would significantly improve ladder safety. An ideal ladder stabilizer would not require attachment to the ladder side rails or rungs. Such a ladder stabilizer would be simple to install, without cumbersome moving parts. It should also be easy to manufacture, and relatively inexpensive.
A variety of attachments have been made to work with ladders. On of the more common attachments in the construction industry is the ladder jack and plank. When two ladder jacks are placed on two ladders placed some distance apart, and a plank (e.g., stretch plank or walk plank) is placed on the jacks, an elevated working surface on which a person can stand, similar to a scaffold, is created. This elevated platform would benefit from the addition of a safety railing system.